Indie dance-heroes The Faint are fresh off an intense round of promotion and touring for their fourth studio album "Wet From Birth," out on Saddle Creek. I caught up with bass player Joel Petersen who is also involved in another Saddle Creek project called Broken Spindles.www.thefaint.com

(L)Auren Suicide: Hi!

Joel Petersen: Hello Lauren.

AS: So what's up with The Faint these days?

JP: We are taking a bit of time off before we get to work on our next record. [Drummer] Clark [Baechle] is currently out on tour with Bright Eyes and I just finished a tour with Broken Spindles.

AS: How's that going?

JP: Broken Spindles is going along just fine. We will be playing a few more shows this year and then I will start working on some more music.

AS: Cool. Is Omaha treating you well?

JP: There are lots of good things about it, all of us live in Omaha. It's very inexpensive to live here. The weather sucks bad enough that it forces you indoors to create your own fun, it isn't too big and it isn't too small.

AS: So then what's it like to be playing rock music and wearing makeup in the middle of the US?

JP: [Vocalist] Todd [Fink] is the only one who wears makeup. A little bit of eyeliner because he has blonde hair.

AS: Haha. I'm curious about you guys playing in Mexico. It's not something a lot of bands make an effort to do. How'd it go?

JP: We are always interested in going places that we haven't been to especially if they seem to be off the beaten path for most tours. We just did a licensing deal for our records down there and the label wanted us to come and play. It went really well - we can't wait to go back.

AS: The first song on "Wet From Birth" is called "Desperate Guys." You guys are so interesting, you write about about girls not in a "we're such studs way" but in a very truthful, very endearing way.

JP: Thanks - That song is about Todd's longing and courtship of his current wife, [Saddle Creek recording artist] Orenda Fink.

AS: He got the girl! I read a review of "Wet From Birth" where a journalist said you were 'sex rockers' or something like that. Do you think that's true? I mean, your songs are sexy, and even beyond the innuendo and fun there is a certain intensity to the music.

JP: I think that [perception] came from our second album, [1999's] "Blank-Wave Arcade," which had three songs on it with 'sex' in the title. I think most people didn't actually listen to the songs to see that they weren't about horny dudes but rather about some heartfelt issues that most early 20 somethings go through. So no, I wouldn't say we are 'sex rockers.'

AS: I have to credit you guys with taking a whole slew of hipsters and getting them to stop staring at the stage with their arms crossed and instead getting 'em to dance.

JP: Well thank you. I don't know if I agree that we should be credited but it was something that was in our minds for ourselves when we started using more danceable elements in our music. We wanted to have fun on stage and hoped people would join us in getting sweaty.

AS: What did you grow up listening to? What bands or music do you love right now?

JP: My first favorite band was The Cult. I'm liking a lot of electronic music from Berlin, bands like Masha Qrella, To Rococo Rot, Tarwater, Schneider TM and Smash TV.

AS: The addition of strings is insane on "Wet From Birth."

JP: I think we are just interested in what we haven't done. We are drawn there rather than towards the familiar.

AS: Do you guys feel supported by media and radio?

JP: I don't think media has been too kind to us, I think most people like our band because they see us at a show - and we have played lots of shows.

AS: Hey, that's how I became a fan! What does the future have in store for you guys?

JP: A new record and more shows and hopefully we will be able to keep improving at writing and playing.

I have to say that The Faint are by far my favorite new band (in contrast to the much older favorite Skinny Puppy) But one thing about this interview puzzled me... and that would be the surname given for Todd. "Fink" Now either I'm not as obsessed fanatic as I used to be... or something is wrong here, because I had always assumed that Todd and Clark were brothers.

So I head over to www.thefaint.com and check the BIO page... Could it be? Am I wrong?

Checks liner notes for WFB ... No names of anyone, Next booklet I found was for BWA... And I breathe a sigh of relief as I read: Todd Baechle - vocal, synthesizer. Just to be on the safe side I dig up some old interviews... lo and behld: I have confirmation. But Now I am left with a greater question... Just what happened that brought about this change?

Also, I want to say that I think Todd' s lyrics are more inspired, unique, and honet than any I've heard, well... since Ogre... but in a different may. I have an enormous amount of respect for his words (Your Retro Career Melted is the most powerful existential sci-fi narrative put to music... ever, not even Gary Numan could match that shit).

And, am I the only one that likes Media as well as the newer more electronic albums? Honestly I find it a quite beautiful collection of songs, and the first track seems to make sense of the initially baffling pub. title they've chosen "Grammar out of Context" - lucid to the language now, absolutely critical comprehonfusing in the spirit of Carrollian portmanteau.

Anything relating to The Faint makes me happy. I've only seen three shows in my life, and the fact that the third got to be my favorite band of all time was amazing. The Faint were perfect live. I;'ve never had so much fun before, and doubt I will again until my next show I see them in

I wish the interveiw was with the whole band, but im greedy . I LOVE the new album "Faciinatiion, "forever growing centapedes" being one of my favorites songs off of it.

man...i cant wait to see these guys again, and i hope they keep coming out with more albums!!!